At Peace with Ones Self
by The Mad Hatterette
Summary: War has destroyed what was left of the ministry. Dumbledore is hardly sane and no longer reliable, Harry is tired of fighting and in the end it is up to Snape to decide when one era ends and another will begin. Oneshot, no slash, no relationships


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At Peace With Ones Self

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There wasn't time for this. He, Professor Severus Snape, potions master and teacher did not have time to chase a wayward Potter around the school like some nanny. There were potions to brew, reports to write, a new school term to be prepared for and the most important was a 'Master' to betray. Of which master he was to betray was not yet clear to him. Really, that depended on Potter. Again, something he was sure Potter would not get right.

He nearly kicked Ms. Norris as he passed the hissing cat, but that would only take longer. He was not adverse to a certain level of cruelty to that certain animal. The pest certainly had gotten in his way more often than he liked, as did her master. The Halls were alight with weak flames dancing on torches and moonlight. Hogwarts was eerily quiet in the summer, not that Snape minded much of course. This just meant that the portraits had no gossip without student source. Except this particular summer, Snape thought with renewed irritation.

Upon reaching the astronomy tower, he paused. The faint scent of cigarettes wafted gently in the breeze down the stairs. Snape was not so ignorant as some may think about muggles and their drugs and whatnot. He climbed the last stair silently, but not silently enough as he was met with Potter's voice even as his back was turned against his professor.

"Why do you bother, Snape?"

There was a pause. "Excuse me? It would do you good to show respect to your professor, Potter."

Potter continued as if he had not heard a word. "I am not going to jump off of a tower, I have already assured you and Dumbledore of that when I got here. Yet you chase me down with a snap of Dumbledore's fingers. Don't you have better things to do than torment my already miserable existence." He said sarcastically with a dramatic sigh.

Certainly not the Potter he knew for the last 6 years. Snape stood there with his arms over his chest and said nothing. So Potter stood to face him, climbing onto the ledge. He flicked the burning fag away and Snape barely contained his spike of anxiety at watching Potter lean slightly over to watch it disappear to the darkness below.

"Long way down." He commented to the air as he looked back at Snape.

"And I have half a mind to push you over. Don't tempt me."

"And the other half?"

"Wants you to get rid of Voldemort already, like everyone else."

"Somehow, I thought you would be different."

"Who are you to say if I am or am not?"

"Why, didn't you hear? I am the Boy-Who-Lived, the Savior! Really I think you'd be better bowing down to me than to that mad man who calls himself a Lord."

"And somehow, I thought you were trying to prove yourself different, Potter."

"Who are you to say if I am or not?"

There was a silence neither awkward nor comfortable, just there.

"I don't have time for this, Potter. You can contemplate your troubles, woes and madness _inside_ the blasted walls of the castle."

"I could." Harry answered simply and jumped down. Snape followed him down the stairs and back into the halls of the seventh floor. "Next time, take me to Him."

Snape stopped abruptly. "...What?"

"Dumbledore doesn't know what he is doing anymore. The ministry is in shambles, the current minister is reluctant to be in his position, and I am tired. Take me to him. Either I live, or I die, which means I can run afterwords and be left alone, or I will be at peace in my grave." Harry Potter walked away.

There was nothing to say to that. The walk to his dungeons was slow and the halls, ghosts and pictures alike made not a sound. Severus Snape sat at his desk for hours until he felt his mark burn. He had not told the Headmaster, who was at his wits end. Snape could not believe how the world was suddenly settled upon his shoulders. A choice not easily made. Potter was powerful. Potter could kill Him. He was also stupid, but prone to fits of random luck. Or Potter could simply be killed by Voldemort.

_ But, what does it matter when I have a foothold in both the light and dark? _A victory. A loss. Snape would be welcome on both sides. And suddenly it wasn't such a hard choice to make. Severus Snape would survive either way.

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End

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End file.
